Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, who has used both the Bosch and Festool reviewed in Fine Woodworking? I had been planning on the Festool for some time, but the review made me rethink things. As I remember they found it to be on par with the Festool, with the advantage of using aftermarket paper (Festool only works with Festool paper), and a generic vacuum attachment. But of course they aren't luthiers, and perhaps the Festool has something that we would consider important?

I'm sure Festool's in another quality class, but I really cannot justify paying four times as much as for a Bosch for an electric sander.

I just ordered my Festool, so my commnet is based only on advice from the salesman. Although a generic vacuum works, if you use too great of a vacuum, the sander draws down against the wood (like a vacuum clamp) and interfers with the action of the sander. A shop vac is too powerful, possibly, but you can get around this by devising a port in the hose system to leak a little air in.

okay. I hear a lot about Festool.Nice and quiet, etc. How about a track record? Longevity? Warranty? Parts availability/delivery time? Customer service? I just heard about the Festools last year. Obviously they are a different animal. Does they REALLY earn their keep, or is this partly increased quality, and lots of elitism?

I'd like to demo the sander at least....I'm guessing I'd be hooked. They really do sound impressive. (I'm not really sceptical, just wondering of the long term value. I really do love nice tools. When they're expensive, I want reassurance that I can use it for well, forever! You know what I mean.

So many tools and so much money....

Thanks Hesh. If I'm ever in your state, you'll be on my list of folks to call on for a visit. (so many luthiers, so little time!)

$165!!! Very competetive for a quality tool. Every Festool I've ever seen seems like it's built for pros. I wanna be a pro!

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Hi,

Could someone please comment on how you use a ROS
in guitar building?

I'm a bit confused since there not no truly flat surfaces.

Do you use this only for soundboard and back and resort to manual sanding for the sides and neck?

Do the doming of the sb and back create issues?

I ask because one of the few parts of guitar building
I don't particularly enjoy is sanding the sides...

Eric

Just curious- is their dust collection port standard sized or proprietary (like Sears )

Hesh,

Just checked out their site ~ German engineering. Got my attention.

Too bad they don't make jigs too eh?

I'm a believer...good looking stuff

Hesh,

Thanks for the reply.

I was assuming the bottom of the sander is
rigid.

I already own some Festool stuff and was in
a Woodcraft store earlier yesterday fondling
a ES 125 EQ. Is that the model you have?

Eric

About a year ago, I bought a Chicago pneumatic 2"/3" diameter ROS that I am incorporating into various aspects of my work. It is a small tool that doesn't require a lot of CFM so my small 2hp air compressor is not overloaded. So far I have completely revised my finish sanding approach with this tool combined with dry sanding papers. The small pad works well on most areas of the body (including sides) and the peghead. I even did an archtop body with the addition of an interface pad between the sander's disk and the 3m finishing film.

I went in to pay my Ace Hardware bill, $6.25 for some vacuum bags. On the way out I spy two SpeedBloc Porter Cables on a floor to ceiling discount rack. I bought two, 42.50 each. Unbelievable.

This reminds me of the Porter Cable six inch I picked up new the other day at Lowes for $45. Inventory reduction? Dunno.



Hopefully my heirs won't find these in boxes still factory sealed....

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Hesh: ok, where'd you get those prices?

The cheapest Festool sander I'd consider, ie, that has variable speed, the ETS 125, retails for 250 euros. That's 330 dollars at today's exchange rates. The non-variable speed is still a whopping 216 euros, or 280 dollars. Let's ignore the Rotex sanders, which skyrocket to well over 500 dollars (for a mains handheld powered sander).

Contrast the prices for a Makita, Metabo, DeWalt or Bosch, which are all in the 150-200 dollar range. So 4 times is true for the rotex, but festool's stuff is easily twice as expensive as the competition at today's market prices, and there's precious little in the used/second-hand market (and even with Festool's excellent reputation, given these are pro tools, what little is available on the used market has been used, and used hard, for a long time. And the prices are still quite wild.)

Barry: got a link for the Chicago pneumatic? Sounds ideal to me, particularly for some aspects of sanding the carved top electrics I make.

I own a lot of festool stuff and they are the best quality tools I have owned. I have had a rotex 150 for around 3 years now, a time period that in the past has wore out several other brand sanders in my shop, PC being the worst offender. Everyday use will bring out the weaknesses in a tool. The innovation they build in is great, lots of thought given to dust collection, variable speed, and dual action. The large rotex is surprizingly easy to use, very smooth and controllable. with it switched to aggresive mode it has taken the place of my PC 4X24 belt sander, that now collects dust rather them make it. For luthier tasks it makes quick work of smoothing plates. the buffing pad in conjunction with the variable speed and dual mode is nice and for the the occasional luthier like myself is a good alternative to a buffer.
I realize that it is hard for a hobbiest to justify the expense but for someone that uses there tools everyday and counts on there performance to produce quality results quickly they are an excellent investment. If my rotex disappeared tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

Hesh, it's mostly just my furstration with pricing; they're German-made tools, but I have yet to find a seller here that will do a decent price. May have to just get one from the states....

Mattia...it's just good old competition that forces the price to be in line with what the buyer will accept. Put it on the list for your next visit.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[QUOTE=JJ Donohue] Mattia...it's just good old competition that forces the price to be in line with what the buyer will accept. Put it on the list for your next visit.[/QUOTE]

It's just good old price fixing in the best corporate tradition- the price is exactly the same for Festool (125 sander=$165USD) wherever you look on the web. No doubt the retailers are threatened if they sell below the 'Festool approved' price.

John

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente] Hesh, it's mostly just my furstration with pricing; they're German-made tools, but I have yet to find a seller here that will do a decent price. May have to just get one from the states....[/QUOTE]

Mattia-
They're practically unavailable in Canada so you are not alone (Festool website will not ship outside the USA, Cdn dealer is an architectural hardware wholesaler with no online pricing or ordering info.).
Unless you have a good local source, the hassle getting parts and proprietary discs would outweigh the advantages of Festool in my opinion.
This all reminds me of the brief incursion into the N.A. market of Inca tools 30 yrs ago.
BTW, Fein makes similar tools and may be more available in the Netherlands??
Cheers

John